


And All the Stories

by Tabithian



Series: Cities in Dust [7]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Destiny (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 20:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8174822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: There are a lot of things they don't tell you when you become a Guardian, and a lot of that's down to the circumstances surrounding your resurrection.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this Grimoire card](https://destinyghosthunter.net/lore/800100) and [this](http://tabithian.tumblr.com/post/150838322064/between-this-and-the-ghost-fragment-ghosts-2).

There are a lot of things they don't tell you when you become a Guardian, and a lot of that's down to the circumstances surrounding your resurrection.

Jason's never heard of a Guardian being brought back in anything but a combat situation, but he supposes it must have happened to some lucky bastards somewhere. Most Guardians get a hasty greeting from their Ghost and a _gogogo_ with hostile forces closing in, so focused on surviving long enough to get to the Tower to bother with anything else. And when you do get to the Tower, what they do tell you is lot of information to take in, process, that some things fall to the side.

Good thing is, you pick up the important pieces as you go along. Learn how to crack a Fallen Captain's shield, and where the sweet spot on a Vex Hobgoblin is. (Kind of obvious in hindsight, and a glaring design flaw on the part of the Vex, if that's what you'd call it.)

You learn that things aren't quite so clear cut in the Tower when you do a little digging and discover things like the mess with the Concordat. Entire communities of Guardians spread across the system due to political and personal conflicts. You learn a lot about humanity after the Collapse of the Golden Age, but there are still things that take you by surprise.

Seemingly insignificant at first, but after a while it hits you that no, this is pretty damn important.

“Hey, chatterbox, mind taking a look at this for me? My Russian's a little rusty.”

Not untrue (probably), since Tim found him in the Cosmodrome. Odds are good Jason knew enough Russian in his previous life to get by, or maybe he ended up there by sheer happenstance, there's no real way to know. 

He's picked up a a bit here and there, mostly by listening to Tim's grumbling when he hacks into some new system or translates signposts and random bits of graffiti they'll stumble across on patrol. It's still nice having a traveling companion who has these kinds of thing available at a moment's notice. 

“Tim?” 

Tim's hadn't been all that keen about them heading back to the Plaguelands after battling the remnants at Site 6. 

Like it wasn't bad enough this crisis sent them into the heart of an area called the Plaguelands, discovering what SIVA could do to a Guardian is going to haunt them for a while to come. (Not to mention the way the cold and snow does is emphasize how fucking eerie the place is, desolate in a way no other place Jason's been is.)

“You could put more time into studying the files I put together for you,” Tim says, like he's said a hundred times before. Always with that touch of annoyance at Jason for not learning a new language as quickly as he'd like. 

Jason rolls his eyes and moves to the side to give Tim better access to the computer console. “Yeah, but then you'd have one less thing to nag me about, right?”

It's taken a while, to learn the little ticks and mannerisms Tim's picked up over the years, but Jason's familiar with most of the ones related to annoyance and a long-suffering kind of aggravation only Guardians can cause a Ghost.

When Tim angles himself to look up at him, Jason shrugs, loose and easy, unbothered by the huffy little Ghost hovering at waist-height. 

“Your buddy thinking of coming out of hiding?”

Tim doesn't twitch, goodness no. 

He's one of the Traveler's greatest gifts to humanity (also not untrue, but not something you want to admit to in the presence of a Ghost lest they lord that over you in every disagreement you have with them), and therefore above such things, _but_.

“...I have no idea what you're talking about.”

Jason _hmms_ , and wonders how much longer they're going to keep playing this game.

Tim's been quieter than usual since they arrived back in the Plaguelands a few days ago, and Jason hadn't given it much thought because he knows Tim flat-out doesn't like it here. Little shit loves Venus, even though they haven't' done more than scratch the surface of the archives there, the moon is interesting to him, and Mars is a challenge with Cabal tech and their computer systems. (He's getting better, one tripped fail-safe at a time.)

Earth is complicated, for so many reasons. Birthplace of humanity and all that, but then there's Rasputin, this complicated puzzle so many people seem to hold the pieces to and no goddamned clue as to what it's supposed to look like. Tim's fascinated by Rasputin, but until Rasputin feels like reaching out for a chat that's something that's going to have to be put aside.

And now there's SIVA and all the ugliness tangled up there. Another one of those things no one bothers to tell you about when you become a Guardian, although it seems Jason wasn't the only one in the dark on this one.

So Tim's been quieter, prone to flitting off to explore dark little corners of whatever building and structures they explore here. Taking off for longer and longer period of time when Jason sets up camp at night. 

Flighty, distracted.

And Jason.

He notices, because Tim's his Ghost and they're partners in this thing they're doing out here. He notices because he doesn't like the damn Plaguelands, feeling like something lying in wait ready to pounce every damn moment, and he notices.

Has seen two little point of light off in the distance when Tim says he's going to do a quick scan of the perimeter. Heard two voices echoing off the cement walls of an abandoned bunker. He notices, but until Tim says something, he's not going to push. (Too hard.)

“Right, right,” Jason says. “My mistake.”

Tim turns back to console, like he isn't capable of hacking it and holding a conversation with Jason as well as tackling a multitude of other tasks at the same time.

 _Ghosts_.

********

Jason gets his first good look of their tagalong after the fight with the Walker guarding the entrance to the cavern leading to the final bunker at Site 6.

Sees a little flicker of Light over the tangle of SIVA wrapped around the supports and realizes it's not Tim. Can't be, because Tim's right next to him babbling about the anomaly they tracked down here.

It's looking right at him, doing the Ghost equivalent of fidgeting, like it's trying to make up its mind as to approach them or not.

“Hey,” Jason says, and for want of anything better to do, waves.

The Ghost startles, its quiet little, “Oh!” managing to draw Tim's attention.

“Ah,” Tim says, flitting away from the tangle of cable and wires and SIVA and towards the skittish Ghost. 

Tim turns to look down at Jason for a long moment, and then just goes for it like he hasn't been keeping his little buddy a secret for the past week.

“Did you want to get a better look for yourself?” Tim asks, moving closer to other Ghost. “It's really very interesting.”

Jason tips his head to the side, waiting to see what the Ghost is going to do. 

He's seen stray Ghosts at the Tower, lonely little drifters wandering the plaza and poking around vendor stalls. Seeking sanctuary with the Speaker in Tower North. It's rarer spotting one in the field like this as they're focused on remaining unseen to avoid making targets of themselves.

“Will your Guardian mind?” thee Ghost asks, sneaking a glance at Jason as he sidles closer to Tim. “I wouldn't want to disturb you.”

He's just so _earnest_.

Tim looks at Jason, and they've worked together long enough for Jason to recognize his cue.

“Go wild,” Jason says, taking a seat on the steps nearby. “I'll keep an eye out for trouble.”

Technically, Ghosts don't have eyes to roll, but Tim does a good job of giving the impression of doing just that as he turns back to his new buddy.

********

Tim's Ghost friend is rattling around in a badly scuffed up shell, so old and weathered its hard to tell if the red flecks are the original color or spots of rust. (What the hell would that shell be made out of if it is? The little guy doesn't look like he's been to the Tower in too damn long.)

“It's not rust,” Tim says, and bumps Jason's helmet _hard_. “Stop staring, you're making him nervous.”

The Ghost in question is oblivious to the two of them, hovering inches away from a Fallen tag painted on a bunker wall, running scans on it. He's quiet, a damn sight more polite than Tim ever was, and tries his hardest not to be a bother, as if having a second Ghost along is such a burden.

Jason reaches up and shoves Tim away, because the little shit hits hard when he wants. “You learn to read my mind and forget to tell me?”

Tim sighs, so very put upon, as he takes up position just over Jason's shoulder. “I've been exposed to you long enough to predict the way your thoughts turn.”

Jason eyes Tim, floating a little higher than he usually does, haughty tone to his voice.

“You saying I'm predictable?” Jason asks, catching the way the other Ghost angles himself to watch them discreetly. “That what you're saying, Tim?”

Tim shrugs, amusement radiating off him as he gets ready to dart away. “I believe the saying is 'If the shoe fits?'”

Jason makes a grab for him, but Ghosts are fast little fuckers. Tim zips toward the other Ghost in a twisting, spiraling path like laughter.

The other Ghost blinks in confusion, swiveling to look at Tim, and back again at Jason, like he doesn't know what to make of the two of them. 

(Some days, neither does Jason.)

********

They were sent to investigate the anomaly, but it would be a shame not to explore the area while they're here.

“Lord Saladin and Shiro may not see it the same way,” Tim says, quiet and to the point.

Jason shrugs, and uses the barrel of his hand canon to nudge a rusted panel aside. “Did you two find anything urgent they need to know about right now?”

There's a pause, Tim debating with himself before saying, “Nothing urgent, no.”

There's a thing about Ghosts Jason's noticed. Aside from the very unique personalities – Tim and Damian alone – there's the fact they all have unique views on orders and the interpretation thereof.

“Makes sense to gather as much intel on this place as we can before he head back, right? Never know when it might come in handy.”

The fact Tim's Ghost friend is free (and obviously delighted at the opportunity) to poke his nose into everything he can with Jason and Tim there to handle any threats that might appear has nothing to do with that. 

Absolutely none, zero, zilch.

“Cayde would be impressed,” Tim murmurs, canting a look at Jason. 

Maybe, but that's not the point.

“Just make sure he doesn't get stuck somewhere I can't reach,” Jason says. 

Tim huffs, affronted as hell, and says, “We can phase through physical objects, Jason.”

Jason, though, counters with, “Yeah? What about that time in the Ishtar Archives? Some Ghost I know getting so excited he got wrapped up cables? Ring a bell yet?”

There had been reasons Tim hadn't just phased himself through that knotted ball of cables, something to do with not wanting to accidentally corrupt the data and other bullshit, but really. Stupid bastard got stuck because he was geeking out over what he'd found.

Tim, because he's a little shit, flashes a beam of light at Jason's face and flits off after his Ghost friend, leaving Jason sputtering and swearing and half-blinded.

Goddamn _Ghosts_.

********

The thing about traipsing around abandoned buildings and the like, is the lack of upkeep. Appalling, really, and someone should do something about it one day. 

“Are you all right?”

Jason pushes past the haze of pain fogging his thoughts and locks onto that voice, small and worried as it is. Not Tim's, not his partner's, but familiar enough to help.

“You fell,” The Ghost says, voice soft, _guilty_. “I apologize, I didn't think to scan the walkway.”

Well, that would explain a great deal, really, Jason thinks, opening his eyes to a vast expanse of stormy gray sky instead of the darkness of the bunker. Tim's doing, since the last thing Jason remembers was crossing a maintenance walkway on his way to the surface, the other Ghost acting as scout with Tim trailing behind.

“Where's - “

“He's bringing your ship down,” the Ghost says. “There was too much interference to do it remotely.”

The Ghost is definitely worried, splitting his attention between Jason and whatever flight path Tim intends to take.

“Hey,” Jason says, reaching out to it. “It's okay, buddy. We'll be fine. Tim's pretty good at his job.”

Annoying as hell, sure, but he hasn't let Jason down yet.

The Ghost stares at him, and Jason pushes himself into a siting position despite his protests.

“I'm fine,” Jason says, even though he's pretty far from it at the moment. “Guardians are pretty hard to kill. A fall like that won't keep me down for long. You've been to the Tower, right? Seen what we get up to sometimes?”

Jason's seen more than one idiot jump off the highest point of the Tower just for the hell of it. A fall like the one Jason just took is nothing compared to that.

“Oh,” the Ghost says, something like quiet horror in his voice as it finally starts to sink in that as a breed, Guardians are complete lunatics, not whatever propaganda the Tower pushes about their nobility and integrity and blah, blah, blah. “ _Oh my_.”

Yeah, they're pretty fucking terrifying in that regard.

********

“Think he's going to be okay?” Jason asks, watching as Tim's Ghost friend floats though the tunnel leading to Tower North and the Speaker. He's decked out in one of Tim's old shells, moving slowly, unsure after so long away.

Tim bumps against Jason's helmet, but gently, because Jason's still feeling the aftereffects of his latest resurrection, and Tim knows it. (Keeps scanning Jason when he thinks he isn't paying attention, the idiot.)

Tim makes a humming noise, dropping so low he rests his weight on Jason's shoulder as they step off a walkway into a grassy area of the plaza.

“He's a Ghost,” Tim says, deliberately oblivious. “Of course he will.”

Jason looks at Tim, slight weight on his shoulder and the way the little shit is avoiding his eyes by staring at the Traveler above the City. Thinks about the history there. About Ghosts born centuries ago still searching for their own personal idiot and what that means.

Just one more thing no one bothers to tell you when you become a Guardian, that you don't give much thought to once you have your own personal pain the ass fussing and fretting over you and all the stupid decisions you make.

“Yeah,” Jason says, reaching up to flick Tim. “Poor bastard doesn't know what he's getting himself into, does he?”

Tim snorts, ducking around Jason's hand and towards Tower South and the hangar where Holliday is waiting to read him the riot act for not treating his ship the way he should.

“He'll learn,” Tim says, absolute certainty in his voice. “We'll make sure of it.”


End file.
